Electric lollipop brings taste to virtual reality

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The researchers describe it as a “portable lollipop-shaped gustation interface” that can be used within VR applications for “adjustable taste” experiences. “Alongside visual, auditory, haptic, and olfactory sensations, taste significantly influences both the physiological and psychological aspects of human experience, however, the research in the development of taste-generating technologies in VR applications is still in its infancy,” the researchers wrote in a study detailing the technology. “We report a set of intelligent and portable lollipop-shaped taste interfacing systems covering from two to nine different taste options for establishing an adjustable taste platform in virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality environments.” The lollipop features various taste generators that can produce nine different flavours – sugar, salt, citric acid, cherry, passion fruit, green tea, milk, durian and grapefruit. open image in gallery Three different VR lollipop prototypes featuring different numbers of taste generators Each of these flavours are delivered through food-grade chemicals that are embedded within tiny gel pockets on the surface of the device.